Woman charged in husband’s death

Tuesday

Jan 8, 2013 at 12:59 AM

A Petoskey woman’s arrest has resulted in first-degree murder charges in connection with the death of her husband.

By MIKE FORNESmike@cheboygantribune.com

A Petoskey woman’s arrest has resulted in first-degree murder charges in connection with the death of her husband.Carol Ann Kopenkoskey, 59,is being held at the Emmet County Jail without bond after she was taken into custody and arraigned Thursday on a charge of first-degree premeditated murder.The body of Lyle George Kopenkoskey, 58, was discovered about 12:30 a.m. Oct. 2, 2012 on Kiebel Road between Lake Grove Road and Townsend Road in Emmet County’s Resort Township.Exhaustive investigation efforts have resulted in the three-month task of assembling evidence to charge the woman, Sheriff Pete Wallin indicated. A forensic review has been completed in Grand Rapids and is expected to provide key evidence in the case. Kopenkoskey was shot four times in the back and once in the temple, all with a .38 handgun that he owned.Among questions probed by investigators will be whether Lyle Kopenkoskey was shot initially at the scene or whether his body was moved to the location where it was found; whether Kopenkoskey died at the scene of the initial gunshot wounds or was only severely injured; and whether an additional shot was fired more than 30 minutes later to finish the victim off.“Deputies found Kopenkoskey’s unoccupied vehicle with assistance from the Resort/Bear Creek Township Fire Department, Michigan State Police, and K-9 Units from the Emmet County Sheriff’s Office and the Michigan State Police,” Wallin said in October. “We were called at 9:45 p.m. and found the vehicle about 12:30 a.m. Kopenkoskey’s body was found a short distance away. He was pronounced dead at the scene.”Police are providing no details involving the case. The Emmet County Sheriff’s Office was assisted in the investigation by the Michigan State Police Crime Lab and the Petoskey Department of Public Safety.A preliminary examination has bee scheduled for Jan. 14.